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Clarke offers deal to police rebels

CHARLES CLARKE, the home secretary, has signalled a climbdown in his clash with chief constables over hotly contested plans to merge local police areas into regional “superforces”.

The Home Office last week wrote to all 43 chief constables in England and Wales telling them that it is now prepared to pay all forces the costs of the merger plan. Police chiefs say this could amount to nearly £1 billion for the first two years.

Clarke had earlier said that he would offer a total of only £125m to the small number of forces which had agreed to merge voluntarily.

The change of policy by Clarke follows a widespread revolt against his plans by local police chiefs. So far only two of the 43 forces — Lancashire and Cumbria — have agreed to merge voluntarily. Several police authorities have threatened to take Clarke to court to stop the plans, which the government says